Silver Lining
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: Even after they've left Brunswick Farms, something still isn't right with Weiss. Ruby is determined to find out what, before it's too late. (Art by lonelybus!)
1. The Shadows

**This is an idea I'd been wanting to do since the Brunswick Farm episodes, and what I originally thought the Apathy was going to be doing to claim victims. Since it isn't what ended up happening, I decided to write it myself.**

**This is also a commission for ChuckleBrotherz! And the amazing cover art is done by lonelybus on tumblr! Thank you both so much!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Silver Lining

Chapter 1. The Shadows

Ever since they'd left Brunswick Farms, Ruby hasn't been able to shake the feeling that something isn't right. Just about every time she blinks, she imagines she can still see those hellish figures with burning red orbs, gaping jaws, and soulless eyes.

Everyone else on the cart seems equally as unnerved and quiet, particularly when Oscar is reading from the diary they'd found.

Only hearing about Maria's past and true identity seems to perk interest and allow everyone to forget about the horrors they'd witnessed back at the farms.

Well... almost everyone.

Even though Ruby is fascinated by her mentor's story, and eager to learn more about her own eyes, she can't help but push those thoughts to the back of her mind for the time being. Because even greater than her intrigue about her own powers is her concern for Weiss' wellbeing.

Her partner has been unnaturally silent all the way from the farms, only speaking up half-heartedly, if ever. Her eyes are downcast more than anything, and Ruby feels like she can sense an aura of fatigue coming off of her.

She's still worried about her. After all, Weiss had been the first one to glimpse the bodies back at the farm, and it had affected her so deeply she'd screamed like Ruby had never heard her scream before. Sheer terror. She'd curled up shaking in front of the fireplace, and even when Ruby had gone with her to search for food, she'd been able to sense something was amiss with Weiss - more than just what she'd failed to recognize as the effects of the Apathy at the time.

Even now, as they sit on the rickety cart Yang pulls through the forest, Ruby can't shake the feeling that something is still wrong with Weiss. She doesn't want to draw everyone's attention and embarrass her partner, so she shifts herself closer very slowly and subtly.

Once again, she feels that strange sensation, almost like an aura. It's very thin, barely noticeable at all, but it's there. It almost feels like it's repulsing her.

Ruby makes a small grunt of effort and pushes through, scooching in close to her partner.

"Hey, Weiss?"

Weiss blinks, lifting her head quickly as if startled.

"Ruby-"

Ruby can see the slightest bit of panic in her eyes, just for a second, before it fades. She reaches out to lay a hand over hers.

"I just wanted to see if you were okay," she mumbles. "I mean... you were the first one to see something so horrible. I feel like it might've affected you the strongest or something..." She rubs her fingers gently over Weiss' knuckles. "Sorry. I'm not even sure what I'm saying. I bet the last thing you wanna do is think about it more..."

_ I should've just let her be..._

But before she can start beating herself up about it, she feels the hand beneath hers turn over and lace their fingers together.

"No," Weiss murmurs. "Thank you for worrying, Ruby. I appreciate it."

Weiss leans ever so slightly against her, resting their shoulders together. The heiress bows her head and closes her eyes for a moment, falling silent.

Ruby's heart soars. She remembers a time when Weiss would've closed herself off entirely and shut her out. But now, Ruby squeezes her hand in return, glad to let Weiss feel safe for a moment.

The ride continues for a while longer.

When Weiss next wakes, it's with a gasp, and Ruby isn't sure if it's because of the cart jostling or something else. Either way, she tightens her grip on Weiss' hand and props her up with her shoulder. Words of reassurance are on the tip of her tongue just before everyone's eyes shift forward.

Yang slows them down to admire the dazzling sight of Argus on the sunset horizon. A sense of relief sweeps through the air, and even Weiss seems to relax. Ruby hopes that whatever discomforts had been haunting her can be left behind in the forests.

The group makes its way down to Argus, and from there are welcomed in by guards.

It's a very eventful evening. They get a storage locker for the bike and cart, and are reunited with Jaune's group to further raise everyone's hopes.

A lot of things happen from there. Ruby's thoughts become occupied with a million different things; trying to figure out a plan to get to Atlas, hearing how Jaune's group had gotten turned away by security, hearing the truth about Ozpin and Salem, listening to Maria talk about her eyes, and then searching for Oscar when he disappears...

Once they realize he's missing, the group splits up to search for him. Ruby doesn't even need to glance at her partner to know Weiss is with her.

They hurry out into the chilly evening to begin searching, calling for him repeatedly.

Weiss hasn't been feeling all that great since they'd left the farms. Something just feels... _off_. She can't discern if it has to do with her aura or something else, but it just feels as though there's some intangible weight around her.

The only time she'd felt truly better had been back on the journey here when Ruby had sat beside her. But now she feels that whatever's been wrong has resurfaced, though perhaps not entirely. It's just swimming beneath the waves, dark ripples fluttering slightly before growing still once more.

She can't make sense of it anymore now than she'd been able to earlier. But she doesn't have time to worry about herself right now.

"Oscar!"

She calls his name for what must be the hundredth time this evening, but there's still no response. She and Ruby have been searching for nearly an hour now throughout the streets of Argus, and they haven't neglected the back alleyways.

Weiss peers down one such space now in search of their lost friend. In the creeping shadows, the narrow alley looks almost like a tunnel.

Weiss feels something like claws scratching up her spine, and her stomach twists with poignant nausea. She doesn't think Oscar is anywhere down there. But something is drawing her in.

The chatter of the city dwindles away behind her, and all she can hear now is the hollow hiss of the wind rolling through the darkness. She takes a few steps forward, and her heels click an echo.

"Oscar...?"

The wind moans back. Weiss immediately retreats, tearing herself from what had almost felt like a trance. She backs away toward the street she'd entered from, back toward the streetlights and the voices-

"Weiss!"

Weiss gasps so hard she nearly chokes, whirling around to find Ruby looking anxiously up at her.

"I still can't find him. Did you check down there yet? I'm gonna go look over there!" And within seconds she's vanished in a flurry of rose petals to begin searching the buildings across the street.

Weiss' heart is in her throat, but at the very least seeing Ruby and hearing her voice had built her resolve a little more, and reminded Weiss of the reality of their situation.

So she draws in a deep breath, turns back toward the alley, and proceeds forward.

Wet darkness consumes her. She can feel it dampening her skin, weighing her down even more, sending a chill deep into her bones. She opens her mouth to call out Oscar's name, but no sound comes.

Her voice suddenly stops working.

She whips around to find the path she'd entered from has been closed off by shadows. Shadows with eyes.

Stark white bones and burning red form from the darkness, massive lanky bodies and gaping jaws, slender, pointed fingers that reach for her very soul-

"No-" She reaches for a weapon that isn't there, shrieks so loudly her throat becomes sore. "Ruby- _Ruby_-!"

"Weiss!"

Ruby calls her name for the second time that evening, and suddenly the shadows are gone. Weiss blinks back tears and wonders if they'd ever actually been there at all.

The distant orange light of the street lamps has returned, as has the noise of the lively city. But most of all, Ruby is there. Her hands are firmly on Weiss' shoulders, her silver eyes desperate and scared.

"Weiss? What's going on? Are you okay?"

Ruby berates herself in her own mind. She'd known Weiss hadn't been feeling her best - not just because of what had happened at the farms, but also too because they were one step closer to Atlas, and thus, her father.

And yet Ruby had been so concerned for Oscar she hadn't really thought of the possible consequences of asking Weiss to search a dark deserted alleyway by herself at night. Weiss is shaking beneath her hands, her blue eyes terrified and fighting back tears. Ruby calls her name again.

"Weiss? What happened?" She takes a step closer to her partner, wanting Weiss to understand that she's here now. Weiss blinks and shakes her head slowly, but none of the tears ever fall.

"I-"

But before she can finish, Yang's voice sounds from the streets.

"Ruby! Weiss! We found him!"

They both look up, but Ruby can't even be as relieved as she wants to be. Not when Weiss is trembling in her hands. She looks back to her partner in earnest.

"Weiss? Please, tell me what's going on."

Weiss finally seems to catch her breath, but her eyes are still scared and she's still frazzled. In the end, she just shakes her head.

"I'm fine."

"Weiss-"

"Let's go. Please." She casts a glance behind herself, back into the darkness.

Ruby feels her shoulders go even more tense than they have been. She lets go of Weiss briefly, only to take hold of her hand instead. She gives a nod, willing to accept Weiss' terms for now, though she intends to discuss it further later on.

With this, she guides Weiss out of the alley and back into the light towards their friends.

But all the while, Ruby can't help but feel like something is pulling back on her partner's other hand, slowly trying to take Weiss from her...

* * *

Once all has been said and done that evening, and Oscar is safely back with the group, everyone returns to Saphron's house for a late-night supper. They all take turns in the bathroom showering and getting ready for bed.

Ruby munches down several more sandwiches and snacks, but is well aware that Weiss is barely touching her food or speaking. With so many people in the room there are so many different auras and energies. But Ruby still can't shake the feeling that there's something coming from Weiss that shouldn't be there, something that feels grey where it should've been blue.

Ruby inches closer to her partner where they'd been sitting on the couch, lowering her voice so no one else can hear.

"Hey, Weiss. How're you feeling?"

Weiss lifts her head slowly and blinks at her, eyes glazed.

"Sorry. I'm just... really tired..."

Her words send a shiver through Ruby. She moves closer and takes her partner's hand again.

"That's okay. Don't be sorry. We've been through a lot in the last few days. Maybe a nice warm shower will help you feel better?"

"Maybe..."

Weiss' gaze travels back to the plate of sandwiches on the coffee table in front of them. It's as if she wants to eat, but can't find the strength. Ruby pats her hand.

"Take your time. I'll go jump in the shower real quick first, and in the meantime try to eat something, okay?"

Weiss responds in the same monotone voice.

"All right..."

Ruby stays with her a moment longer before standing. She manages to catch Yang's eye and silently beseeches her sister to come meet her in the hallway.

As soon as they're both out of earshot of the others, Ruby starts to fidget. Yang tilts her head curiously, though her eyes are already taking on the concerned look of an older sister.

"Ruby? What's up?"

Ruby bites her lip.

"It's Weiss. I can't really explain it, but she just seems so... I dunno. She was really jumpy earlier, but now she just seems super tired..."

Yang offers a soft smile.

"Well, we kinda did have a tough time back at the Farm. I'm sure she's still exhausted from all that. And we _are_ planning on going back to Atlas, which isn't exactly her favorite place in the world. I think she just needs to know you were telling the truth; that we won't leave her side for a second."

Ruby thinks it all over as Yang speaks. It's everything she's known herself, but for some reason hearing Yang confirm it all makes it easier to believe.

"Yeah, guess you're right."

Yang nudges her arm.

"Just stay close to her. I'm sure it'll make her feel a lot better."

"Will do."

Ruby gives her sister a hug before scurrying off down the hall to the bathroom. She finds the pair of pajamas she'd packed from Patch and doesn't waste a second. She wants to get back to Weiss as soon as possible.

Once she's finished showering and changing, she hurries back to the living room to the others. She finds Yang has taken her spot next to Weiss, talking with her casually. But Weiss only responds quietly, if at all, and she still hasn't touched any of the food. Ruby makes her way over and rests a hand on her partner's shoulder.

"The shower's ready, Weiss. It's nice and warm!"

Weiss tries to smile up at her, but it never fully takes form.

"Thank you..." She pushes herself up and slowly makes her way out of the room.

Ruby longs to accompany her, but she knows Weiss probably needs some time to collect her thoughts and be away from everyone else.

And Weiss can feel her partner's eyes boring into her back until she turns the corner. She must be getting sick. There's no other explanation for her sluggishness and loss of appetite.

_Wonderful. Just when we've hatched a plan to get to Atlas. I'll only slow them down..._

She finds her nightgown in the stacks of laundry and limps into the bathroom to begin removing her shoes and dress.

The sounds of chatter throughout the rest of the house are no longer audible once she's shut the door, and now Weiss finds herself in complete silence. The bathroom is bright with white tiles and clean porcelain, nothing at all like the alleyway from earlier. But something still creeps its way through Weiss' body, something she can't quite describe.

She quickly starts running the water and steps in even before it's fully warm, then draws the curtain. The hiss of the shower provides some noise at the very least, and the warm water washes away some of the grime and grease of the previous days' journey.

She closes her eyes and tries to relax, tries to forget about the shadows still clawing at the corners of her mind. She washes her hair thoroughly, reminding herself the others aren't far. They're all here in a safe place together, they can have a bit of peace...

A shudder runs through her despite the hot water hitting her back.

When Weiss next opens her eyes she sees blood mixing in between her fingers. Tons of it, enough to turn the entire shower red.

She bites back a shriek and staggers back against the wall, knocking over a few bottles of shampoo in the process. The resulting clatter is almost deafening, but when she next blinks the crimson is gone. Only clear water remains as it should, drumming against the floor of the bath tub at a regular beat.

Both of Weiss' hands are pressed tightly across her mouth, and her heart is in her throat. When she looks up at the shower curtains, she sees lanky, shadowy figures dancing on the other side.

She shrinks back, still able to picture exactly what they'd looked like, exactly what they'd sounded like, their high-pitched, skull-numbing screeches...

Weiss slumps back against the wall and slides down to the bottom of the tub, clutching her knees to her chest and her head in her hands. She's too terrified to move, let alone cry out.

The wisps of shadows keep disappearing, then drawing closer, then disappearing again. Weiss buries her face in her knees and sobs quietly, shivering as the water eventually runs cold.

She doesn't want to move. If she does, she fears they'll find her, grab her with their long skinny claws and drag her away to a place worse than hell. The terror consumes her, immobilizes her mind and body alike. She cowers in the corner of the tub and waits for the worst...

But then-

"Weiss-?"

Ruby's voice calls for her once again, from the other side of the door. A couple nervous knocks come after it.

"Weiss? Are you okay? I heard some things crashing. You're not hurt, are you-?"

She sounds about ready to burst through the door, and Weiss knows she'll really do it if she doesn't pacify her right away. Hearing her partner's voice coaxes the heiress to reopen her eyes, and when she does the shadows are gone. Weiss inhales slowly, jolting from the cold water.

"I'm fine, Ruby."

She hears a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank goodness... A-Anyways, I'm gonna wait out here for you, okay?"

Weiss is still for a moment longer. The idea of Ruby standing guard on the other side of the door makes her believe the shadows will keep away.

Slowly, Weiss pushes herself back up to her feet, gathering the fallen shampoo bottles from earlier and replacing them on the shelf. She turns off the water, hugging herself from the ensuing chill, then turns to the curtain. There aren't any shadows.

Cautiously, she reaches out to take hold of one end and inches it open. On the other side is just the bathroom, and nothing more.

Weiss grabs her towel from the sink and quickly wraps it around herself before stepping out. She nearly sways when she makes it to the tiled floor and has to hurriedly grab onto the sink for balance. She's still shivering, and her hair is a sopping wet mess.

So she finds a hair dryer and turns it on, both to try and keep herself warm and to satisfy Ruby.

But Weiss only half-heartedly uses the dryer, and only for a fraction of the time she normally would when provided such a luxury.

She dries off and dresses herself rather sloppily, her nightgown still full of wrinkles and her arms still covered in goosebumps. By the time she makes it to the door, it feels like something is behind her...

She grabs the handle and pulls the door open so suddenly it startles the girl on the other side. Ruby had been leaning against the door, anxiously waiting for Weiss to come out or invite her in if needed. Now, she whirls around to face her partner.

"Weiss!"

But Ruby's relieved smile falls away like a petal. Weiss looks so disheveled and cold, and her eyes are wide and scared like they'd been earlier. She's startled upon finding Ruby so close and almost loses her balance.

But Ruby quickly darts forward to pull her into a hug, both to steady her and to warm her up a little. She can feel her shaking, and something tells her it isn't only from the cold.

"Weiss-?" She peeks up at her partner with concern in her eyes. "What's going on? You're freezing!"

She feels Weiss' hands try to hug her back, but her grip is weak.

"The water just ran cold on me. That's all."

"Then why is your heart beating so fast?" Ruby gives her a look that's more stern now, more knowing. She isn't a child anymore. She wants Weiss to know she can rely on her as much as Ruby does the same.

But Weiss looks away, almost as if she can't bear to look her in the eye.

"It's nothing. I'm just... tired..."

Those words again. They send a chill up Ruby's spine, and Weiss' voice is almost despondent as she says it. There's definitely something else here, something beyond just Weiss' misgivings about going back to Atlas.

Ruby feels Weiss trying to push her away, but she holds more tightly to her.

"Let's go back to the others. I'll make you some coffee to warm you up."

But to her dismay, Weiss only shakes her head.

"I'm too tired..."

Ruby doesn't know what else she can do. As she's trying to think of something, Weiss manages to slip away from her and start down the hall. Ruby hurries after her. She'd promised not to leave her side for a second, so she's going to keep to it.

Saphron had offered them guest rooms for the few nights they'd be staying, and they'd already established who would be where. Ruby and Yang had been planning on taking one room, but as things are now, Ruby follows Weiss to the one she chooses. It's rather small, and there's only a single bed.

The heiress sits down somewhat heavily and bows her head into her hands. Ruby sits beside her without a sound and rubs her back gently. There's still something she can't quite explain that's making her uneasy, some unsettling aura coming off of her partner...

"Ruby?"

"Huh?" She snaps right out of her thoughts. "Yeah? What is it?"

Weiss lifts her head slowly and tries out a smile.

"Thank you. I'll be fine. I just need some rest."

But the words that are meant as reassurance only make Ruby even more anxious.

Even so, she wants to believe Weiss. She wraps both arms around her in a brief hug.

Weiss doesn't return it, not because she doesn't want to, but because she feels like she doesn't have the strength.

When Ruby eases back, she helps Weiss take her hair down from her ponytail. Ruby puts her tiara on the bedside table as Weiss lies herself down.

Ruby hurries to the doorway to turn off the main lights, then is back at Weiss' side in a second. There's only a lamp on the table still glowing now, and Ruby doesn't touch it. She crawls into bed beside Weiss, who is already half asleep with her eyes open.

"Ruby...?"

She sounds so tired, so drained...

"Yeah?"

Ruby lies down close her her, resting her face next to Weiss' on the pillow. Weiss sighs, and her eyelids close as if against her will.

"Please... keep the light on..."

Ruby swallows a little hard. She reaches for Weiss' hand beneath the covers and holds onto it.

"Sure thing."

She isn't even sure if Weiss heard her or not. The heiress has already fallen quiet.

Ruby can't shake away the twisting feeling in her gut. Weiss looks peaceful and calm in her sleep, but there's still something wrong with it all. Ruby gives her hand another squeeze, but Weiss doesn't squeeze back.

"Weiss?"

No answer.

Ruby swallows again.

_Maybe she'll be better by morning. Hopefully whatever this is, she can sleep it off... _

She tells herself as much, even though some deeper part of her knows it can't be that simple.

Ruby stays awake for a while longer in spite of her own fatigue. She watches over Weiss, ensuring there are no signs of discomfort or distress. She's breathing softly and deeply. Her brow isn't even furrowed.

Ruby loosens her grip on Weiss' hand. Maybe she'd been overreacting with her worries. Maybe all Weiss really did need was some rest.

Even so, she watches over her a while longer, until about an hour later.

Eventually, the previous days' events catch up to her, and Ruby lets out a yawn. She reaches for the lamp and turns it off.

It's by her own hand that the room fills with midnight darkness.

But with her partner now sleeping quietly beside her, Ruby closes her eyes and thinks nothing of it.

* * *

**A/N: There is a bit of inconsistency with the canon in terms of the amount of days and nights the group spends at Saphron's place, but please ignore it for the sake of this story. For this, just imagine all of this happens the same day they leave the Farms, and next chapter will cover what happens that night.**

**I was a little disappointed that Weiss wasn't more affected by the Apathy than the others. I figured she would've gotten the worst of it since she saw the bodies first and was terrified enough to scream, unlike Yang. And yet in the end Blake was more affected than Weiss was. So this story is the alternate version (aka an excuse for me to focus on Weiss, who is my fav, go figure).**

**Please review!**


	2. The Light

This chapter will begin in Weiss' perspective and swap over to Ruby's later. This is originally how I thought the Apathy would work/how they would affect people in canon. Even though the group has left the Farms in this story, the Apathy are still clinging to Weiss.

Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.

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Chapter 2. The Light

Weiss finds herself in a forest.

It has elements that remind her of both Forever Fall and the Emerald, and yet it doesn't quite feel like either of those.

There is a dim source of light, but she can't discern where it's coming from, or how much of the forest it reaches.

The trees are almost outlined with a bit of color, but for the most part they are black. The ground and the sky are much the same. Whatever color they do have to them, it's a color she can't make much sense of other than darkness.

She's on a mission, but to find who or what, she isn't sure.

She begins running, searching for whatever it is she's supposed to seek. She keeps her eyes open, but never sees anything more than the shadows of twisted, lanky trees.

She can't remember where she's going or why, or if there's anything she's supposed to remember in the first place. She just knows she has to run.

For a long while, she's alone, and she knows it.

It's a gust of wind that has no temperature to it that makes her remember her teammates.

Ruby. Blake. Yang.

She has to find them. She can't complete her mission without them.

So she keeps running, barely even aware of her own body at times. The light never grows or becomes easier to discern. She can't see the sky...

She loses track of time. She isn't even sure if 'time' is something that exists here.

But eventually there's a sound, one that doesn't make any coherent sense, but somewhere in her mind she recognizes it to be a voice calling for her.

So naturally she runs toward it – wherever she believes it to be coming from.

The forest is never-ending, and the trees seem to be coming closer. It's almost like they're reaching for her with their long, sharp branches...

Something catches her eye. Something with color. Actual color she can make sense of.

It's red.

She heads toward it, but never seems to get close.

A feeling sweeps over her, not an emotion, but a sense of location. It feels like she's heading toward Atlas. She can't explain why or how, but that feeling suddenly washes over her.

She doesn't want to go there. She doesn't want to go back. Her father is there, and he's angry. She's always been frightened of him, of what he could do, of what he could make _her_ do. She doesn't want to keep going this way.

But the red draws her in. Its coaxing color becomes a dangerous lure, pulling her closer. She doesn't have a choice.

She has to keep running.

It feels like there are noises coming from the trees, but she can't hear anything. Rather, it's more like a feeling, a movement of the stagnant air, a vibration in her bones.

She has to keep running.

The red beckons her. The trees rattle and whisper in hollow moans. They reach for her, narrowing her path even further. They nearly touch her.

Eventually, she draws nearer to what calls her.

She stops running.

She's able to make out what the red things are.

They are things that weren't originally red. Things that aren't _supposed_ to be.

There's a scarf, one that used to be orange, but now it's stained with red.

There's a bow, one that used to be black, but now it's soaked so deeply that it's turned red as well.

And there's a cloak, one that used to be a warmer kind of red. But it's tainted now, tarnished with the burning, bloody red of her mind's forest.

She'd stopped running. She's supposed to _keep_ running. She can't stop...

The inaudible sound comes again, and every bone in her body trembles. She whirls around to find them coming for her.

The trees aren't trees.

Their jaws part with the whiteness of bone, their souls burn a crimson so deep and dark it shows how many lives they've claimed.

And she's next.

She runs.

And now she understands she was never running to _find_ anything. She'd been running _away_.

She has to run.

She isn't tired. She isn't breathless. But only now does she realize that's because she was never breathing in the first place.

She can't remember how. She can't remember anything.

She just has to run.

Knowing they'll catch her if she doesn't.

Knowing they'll catch her anyway if she does.

And even though she isn't breathing, tears fall down her face.

They leave a trail of red behind her.

* * *

Ruby can't explain what wakes her that night.

She remembers turning off the light and falling asleep. Now, she doesn't feel particularly rested or exhausted, but just somewhere in between.

She opens her eyes and almost doesn't realize she's done so at first. The room is extremely dark, almost like it's darker than it should be somehow. She can barely see Weiss lying right next to her.

Upon seeing her, Ruby is aware of a sudden knot in her stomach. She almost feels like she's going to be ill.

That terrible aura she'd sensed on Weiss before is still there, and it's only gotten worse.

It's gotten stronger.

Ruby curls her fingers. Weiss' hand is cold beneath hers.

With a start, Ruby pushes herself up onto her elbows.

"Weiss...?"

She hadn't really been expecting an answer, and she doesn't get one.

Strangely, as soon as she takes her hand off Weiss', Ruby instantly feels the sickness in her stomach fade. The unease she's been feeling doesn't vanish altogether, but avoiding physical contact with Weiss seems to lessen the severity. But that knowledge only makes her more frightened.

"What the heck is going on? Weiss-?"

She reaches out to rest a hand on Weiss' back. But instantly upon touching her, Ruby is hit with an intense wave of dizziness. It saps her energy away, making her heavily lethargic. It very nearly knocks her into unconsciousness. Her head hits the pillow and she groans.

"Ugh... no..."

She fights to stay awake, drawing her hand away from Weiss for the time being so she can gather her thoughts.

Whatever this is, it's clearly only affecting Weiss directly, but it can also extend to anyone who physically touches her. And it's only gotten worse overnight.

Ruby struggles to keep ahold of her consciousness, fighting for Weiss' sake now more so than her own. She doesn't close her eyes for longer than it takes to blink, and after a moment of steadying herself she sits back up again.

She considers calling the others for help, but she doesn't know what this thing affecting Weiss is, or if it could harm others. She isn't willing to risk anyone else.

Since touching Weiss is no longer an option, Ruby tries to rouse her with her voice again.

"Weiss? Can you hear me?"

She speaks louder than before, but there's still no reply. Weiss doesn't even stir. She just appears to be in a deep sleep. Ruby doesn't like it one bit. She doesn't even appear to be breathing...

Ruby leans down over her partner as closely as she can without making contact. She can't hear anything. Not even a faint wisp of air. Ruby's blood runs cold.

"Oh my god-"

She almost reaches out to touch her, but she can't let herself get affected anymore than she already is. Panic flares in her chest and makes her feel even sicker.

The only thing she can think to do is activate her aura. She lets it cover her entire body, but focuses mostly on her fingertips. Cautiously, she brushes them over the back of Weiss' hand.

She doesn't get dizzy like she had earlier. Her aura must provided somewhat of a barrier at the very least. But she doesn't know how much, or for how long it'll last, so she has to move quickly.

Ruby scoops Weiss gently into her arms and turns her to lie on her back. She balances her palm over Weiss' chest to feel for her breath.

But she doesn't feel that. Instead she feels something much more violent.

Weiss' pulse beats wildly beneath her hand, so hard and so quickly it feels like it might burst free. Ruby is so shocked by its severity she can't even be relieved at the proof that Weiss is still alive.

Ruby's only ever known her partner to be _this_ terrified once before - back in the underground passages of Brunswick Farms, when the Apathy had nearly claimed them all. She'd put her hand on Weiss' back and begged her to keep going, and she'd felt Weiss' terror in the beat of her heart. Even though she'd appeared to be exhausted and meek on the outside, there'd been a vicious storm ripping through her on the inside.

It's the same way now.

Even back at the Farms, the Apathy had affected Weiss worst of all, because she had been the first one to glimpse the bodies oozing with the aura of death.

Clearly, even after Weiss herself had burned the place to the ground, it still had its hold on her.

Ruby can feel it now in every terrified beat of her frantic heart. What's happening inside is a dire contrast to her still and quiet exterior.

Ruby feels a shudder run through her arm at how cold Weiss has become. Though the Apathy themselves aren't physically here to torment Weiss, their deadly remnants are still clinging to her body and to her aura.

It had only started to affect her now, when she's one step closer to Atlas and her father, when she's been so worried about going back, on top of being worried about Oscar when he was missing, and Qrow when he began to relapse, and Jaune, Nora and Ren when their grief for Pyrrha had been renewed at her monument, and she's been worried about Yang and Blake and the silent tensions between them, and she's been worried about Ruby's silver eyes and how they might be taking some unseen toll on her...

The culmination of all of Weiss' stresses and fears had finally allowed the remnants of the Apathy to invade her mind in her darkest of hours, on the darkest of nights.

And Ruby knows if she doesn't do something quickly, it will quite literally scare Weiss to death. She's trapped in her nightmares, and it won't stop until it's killed her. Her heart is pounding so ferociously beneath Ruby's hand it's causing Weiss' whole body to shudder.

It's making Ruby just as terrified and short on air. She tries to catch her breath, tries to slow her own body down in contrast to the turmoil in Weiss'.

_I need to focus. I won't be able to do anything to help her if I can't help myself first._

She doesn't know how much time she has – how much time _Weiss_ has – before this consumes her. But she knows that her aura can at least work to protect herself against the darker mist clouding over Weiss. She hopes Weiss' own aura will be able to help, too.

The issue is trying to get it activated. Weiss clearly can't do it herself. She won't wake up no matter what Ruby tries. But Ruby doesn't know how to activate another person's aura. She's never done it before.

_Maybe I should call for Jaune... He might know what to do-_ _No! I can't put anyone else at risk! And what if he accidentally amplifies the Apathy's essence instead of Weiss'? I promised I wouldn't leave her side, so I won't! I've gotta figure something out on my own!_

She bites her lip, feeling tears stinging behind her eyes. She doesn't know what she can do. She doesn't want to lose Weiss. She can't. Not like this...

_I won't! I won't lose her! I swear it on my mother's grave!_

Ruby digs deep inside herself and feels the kindling flame of her aura. She closes her eyes in spite of the dangers and tries to sense only with her being.

Weiss' erratic pulse still throbs beneath her fingers, and Ruby tries to direct her own aura onto her partner, hoping that sharing a bit of hers will help Weiss unconsciously activate her own.

But as Ruby reaches out to her, she's met with a pushing resistance. It's a black and crooked haze, thick like smoke, clogging and tainting the purity of Weiss' aura. It prevents Ruby from reaching her, repels her with enough force to leave her gasping.

She can feel Weiss' terror now as if it's her own.

It's greater than any fear she's ever felt before.

The fear that is gripping Weiss now and clawing away at her is far beyond fear for her life.

It is the fear for her soul, for her very _being_.

It's so powerful, so poignant and horrifying that it's beyond Ruby's comprehension.

It's a fear that's definitely strong enough to kill her.

Weiss' heart is still beating out of control, so hard that it hurts Ruby just to feel it. Her palm has become sore and her arm begins to ache, so she can only imagine how painful it must be for Weiss.

_No..._

She tries again to reach out her aura, but the darkness repels her once more.

_No... Please..._

"We...iss..."

She chokes out her name in a whisper and feels the tears begin to slip down, droplets of silver in the pitch blackness. Ruby begins to tremble in her terror as the black fog grows more thickly over Weiss, suffocating her with fear.

Weiss is lost. She's trapped. She's so scared...

_I have to help her... I have to... or else she'll-_

Ruby feels more tears pooling behind her eyes, dripping down to fall into Weiss' nightgown. She hiccups, and when she opens her eyes a little further, something other than tears leaks free.

The faint silver light glows softly in the darkness.

Ruby stops trembling. This is her answer. It's the only way.

Maria had explained to her that her powers existed to protect and preserve life. It's the only way to save Weiss'.

A wave of melancholy rises up through Ruby's chest, slow and calming like a breeze. She exhales, willing her powers to reach out for Weiss.

Ruby can't see much when her eyes are like this, but a picture paints itself in her mind...

* * *

Weiss continues fleeing from the bony, shadowy figures.

She's been running for so long now, unable to breathe, unable to cry out for help. Their shadows pull her back no matter which way she swerves, until it almost feels like they're dragging her inch by inch into the ground itself.

They screech at her, bringing her to her knees, draining away her energy, her aura, and her life.

She's too tired. She's too scared. She can't get up anymore.

It's so dark. All she can see is stark white and burning red. She just wants to close her eyes and rest...

But then, just before she can give in, another color appears.

It's faint and it's distant, but it's there.

She almost can't make sense of it at first. It isn't as black as the monsters nor as whit as their bones, but somewhere in between both extremes.

Silver. Like stardust and moonlight.

It's only a flicker, but she senses it.

Just before the crooked fingers can brush against her, Weiss pushes herself away.

She looks all around herself in the confusion and the darkness, through the gaping jaws of the creatures and the spaces between their bodies, in every direction that exists, and then some.

And at last she finds it. The silver place where the light comes from.

It calls to her, not with her name, but with a gentle promise that it's where she's meant to go.

Her tears fall red behind her, but she goes.

There's a breeze, and it smells of roses.

The monsters screech at her again, but she goes.

Now she feels it all: the ache of her tired body, the stifling pressure in her chest, the pain in her throbbing heart...

The light becomes brighter, and the shadows become darker.

She doesn't run anymore. She only walks.

The monsters fester in her own shadow, stretching up to grab at her. But every time they do, the silver light reaches them before they can touch her. It protects her for now, but it's up to Weiss to save herself.

She's tired. She's hurt. She's scared. It would feel so nice to stop walking, to simply close her eyes and rest for a moment...

Every step is a journey, every breath a struggle. She staggers, sways, feels the tears dripping down...

Only now when they fall, they are silver, too.

She _knows_ who this light belongs to, but she can't remember...

There's another screech from behind her, but Weiss doesn't look back. The silver light shines warmly on her skin, encompassing her in its protection.

Weiss finally feels safe enough to close her eyes. She reaches out with both hands and breathes a name.

"Ruby..."

* * *

Ruby hears the echo of Weiss' voice in the back of her mind and in the bottom of her heart. Even though Weiss hadn't actually spoken, she hears her soul calling out for her.

Only when Weiss reaches out for her can Ruby finally do the same.

She uses her aura, her soul, whatever means she can, to hold onto Weiss.

The second they make contact, their senses are brought back to their physical bodies. Ruby blinks, and the silver fades from her eyes as she cries out for her partner.

"Weiss!"

At the same instant, Weiss' eyes fly open as a terrified gasp rips from her throat. She jolts upright and directly into Ruby's waiting arms.

"Weiss! Oh my gosh- thank _goodness_-!"

Her heart is still pounding hard enough for Ruby to feel it, and awful shivers are still raking through her body. She grips Ruby's back with such force it almost hurts, but Ruby isn't about to ask her to stop.

Weiss can barely make sense of where she is or what's happening. All she knows is that Ruby is here. She'd guided Weiss out of the jaws of death enough to allow Weiss to take the final leap to save herself.

She can't even speak. Weiss breaks down into heavy sobs in her partner's arms.

Ruby covers her with both arms, holding her close, shedding her own tears of relief as well.

"Thank goodness..."

She holds Weiss for a long time, both of them crying and clinging to one another. Somewhere along the lines Weiss finds the breath to whisper Ruby's name, over and over.

"Ruby... Ru...by..."

Ruby gives her a squeeze to affirm her presence.

"I'm here," she mumbles. "Don't worry, Weiss. I'm here..."

"Ruby-" Weiss chokes, pushing herself away to stare frightfully into her leader's eyes. "It's here... it's still here-" She cuts off with a gasp and whirls to look behind herself, but she can't see anything there. Ruby pulls her close again.

"It's okay. I-"

But Ruby can sense it too. Weiss is right. That dark foggy aura is still here with them. It's much weaker than it had been moments ago, but she knows now it will easily strengthen again the second Weiss closes her eyes.

Ruby's aura is still active and she shares a bit with Weiss now, urging her to activate her own as well.

"Don't worry," she growls. "I won't let it hurt you anymore. I _swear_ it."

Weiss whimpers, quietly following Ruby's example and activating her aura. The fog shudders, but it still doesn't vanish. Weiss can still feel it clinging to her skin, or perhaps under it. It makes her stomach twist, makes her heart tremble. It still feels like there are monsters behind her, reaching out for her with their gnarled fingers...

"Weiss."

Ruby's soft voice coaxes Weiss to look up at her once more. She can tell Ruby is scared too, but greater than the fear in her eyes is something much stronger. She has an idea, and Weiss knows better than anyone that when Ruby Rose has an idea, she's going to go through with it, especially if it will spare someone else pain.

Ruby slides her hands down Weiss' arms to find both of her hands, and holds them gently. Weiss is still shaking, and her hands are still cold. Ruby inches a little closer until their knees brush.

"I wanna help. Let me try something..."

Weiss feels a pang of fear creep through her chest.

"Ruby- it could hurt you-"

"It won't. I promise."

She turns Weiss' hands over and curls both of her pinky fingers around hers.

Weiss inhales shakily, vaguely aware of the faint smell of roses, and blinks a few more tears away. She can still feel the dark presence of the Apathy lurking in the back of her mind. Even if it isn't really there in the room, it's still real to _her_.

Ruby knows they aren't out of the woods yet. If they just let this be and go back to sleep, it'll start all over again. And this time, Weiss might not have the strength to get up if she falls.

"It's okay," she says. "Just keep your aura going and breathe. Focus on me."

Weiss has been terrified to close her eyes since they'd left the Farms. But she trusts Ruby with everything she is.

So she draws in a deep, steadying breath and tries to calm her heart. She closes her eyes despite the jolt of panic it ignites in her chest. Ruby's hands are soft and warm around hers, and her aura mingles with Weiss' to enforce it.

Ruby waits a moment until Weiss has calmed down as much as she possibly can. Now, she can sense the dark mist around her more clearly. It's still malicious, still greedy and hungry for her life. Ruby sends out a flare of her own aura towards it, but the darkness evades. It weighs down over Weiss' own aura, just waiting for it to crack so it can intrude.

_I won't let you. I'll protect her-_

But just as Ruby's thought goes out, she feels a soft pressure on her hands. Weiss squeezes her in return, fueled by an equal conviction.

_I won't let it hurt you, either._

Now their auras join together, strengthened twice over with both girls giving equal parts. It's even more powerful when they seek to protect others rather than themselves.

But aura alone didn't stop the darkness before, and it doesn't stop it now. It still hovers over Weiss, pushing down on her more desperately now that it's facing opposition. A sudden pain registers in the back of her head, and Weiss yelps.

"_Ah_-" She opens her eyes, and the panic swells in her chest. Her aura fluctuates, and the black fog surges. Ruby opens her eyes as well, horrified at the possibility that she might've hurt her somehow. After all, she'd only ever used her eyes to directly fend off evil before; she'd never used them to empower the good.

But the second she looks into Weiss' eyes she knows it wasn't her fault.

"I'm sorry," Ruby whispers. "There's only one way. I'm sorry if it hurts- Just trust me..."

She leans forward slowly and rests their foreheads together. She can tell Weiss is still doing her best to fight the darkness off, but she's just too scared, too exhausted to do it alone.

_You don't have to. I'm here..._

"Weiss..."

Ruby says her name with a smile, coaxing Weiss to look at her again. She activates her powers, only a little, just enough to let a faint silver light glow around her eyes.

Weiss feels more tears falling as she looks into Ruby's soul, bearing her own for her in turn. Weiss trusts her with everything she is.

The light is soft, yet bright. It's calming and warm, and it cleanses the pain away. The faint flicker of light chases off the last of the shadows.

Weiss and Ruby both feel the antagonistic aura dissipate into nothingness.

Even so, Ruby uses her powers for a moment longer to ensure it's truly gone. She only stops when she hears Weiss crying, feels her throw both arms around her shoulders and sobs out her name.

"Ruby-!"

At last, Ruby reels in her powers. The next time she blinks, she's crying again too. She hugs Weiss back tightly and burrows into her shoulder.

"I-I'm sorry... Are you okay-?"

Weiss hiccups a sigh into Ruby's hair.

"Yes... I'm fine now... it's gone..."

Ruby just sighs and repeats the same thing she's been saying all day.

"Oh, thank goodness..."

She can't sense that foggy aura anymore either. The last of the Apathy that had clung to Weiss for this long has finally been destroyed. The fear that had been slowly crushing her finally turns to relief.

They cry together for a moment, glad that it's finally over. Ruby's just glad her plan had worked. If not for her powers, she isn't sure if anything could have helped Weiss.

But she still remembers how Weiss had cried out in pain. She knows it was more from the Apathy than from Ruby's powers flowing into her, but she still feels awfully guilty about it. She locks both of her arms around Weiss' sides and across her back, heaving a sigh.

"Sorry... It doesn't hurt anymore, does it...?"

Weiss is tired, but not tired enough to neglect being almost offended by the comment. She pulls back to glare tearfully into Ruby's eyes.

"You _dolt_," she snaps. "_You're_ the one using your powers willy-nilly like that. What if it has some sort of effect on you? What if it takes a toll...?"

Ruby smiles a little; if Weiss has the energy to be upset with her, she's definitely better now.

"I don't think it takes a toll on me. I don't feel dizzy or anything like that. I'm just glad you're okay." She hugs her again. Weiss tries to snort, but it just comes out as a sniffle.

"You dolt... you should be more careful..."

"I will. Now that that nasty fog is gone."

She feels Weiss inhale, then let it out slowly. She's still shaking a little bit, but her pulse has finally started to slow down.

"Thank you, Ruby," Weiss murmurs. "Without you, I-"

"You could've handled it," Ruby grins. "I just helped you handle it a little faster, that's all."

They both know it's a lie, but they both smile anyway.

They remain in each other's arms for a while longer, letting everything settle. Ruby can feel Weiss' weight slumping in her arms from how exhausted she is from it all, but Ruby is the one to yawn.

"Hm?" Weiss hums. "Someone's tired."

"Says the one who's already half-asleep."

"Please. It's past your bedtime."

"No it-! Uhh, oh yeah, it kind of is..."

Weiss chuckles and draws away, taking up Ruby's hands.

"Thank you, Ruby."

Ruby smiles.

"Don't mention it. It's what partners do. I'll always come help you no matter what, Weiss."

"It's the same for me. I'll do whatever I can, Ruby."

They share one last hug, and this time both of them yawn. Ruby lies herself down, slowly pulling Weiss with her.

"Come on. Let's get some sleep."

"Sounds like a plan."

They finally rest their heads onto the pillow together as both of their auras comfortably fade for the time being. Weiss drapes the blankets over them both, but just for good measure Ruby wraps both arms around her and nuzzles into her collar. Weiss is far too tired and far too comfortable to oppose.

Thoughts of the Farms still trouble her memories, and thoughts of Atlas still worry her future days.

But for now, in this moment, all that matters is the girl with the scent of roses in her hair and a silver lining around her heart.

* * *

A/N: My original thoughts about the Apathy was that they'd scare people to death in their sleep via nightmares. I was thinking something like this was gonna happen in canon and Ruby and Blake were gonna have to figure out a way to save Weiss and Yang. But alas...

I wanted to do a Ruby/Weiss version of Blake and Yang's "we're protecting each other" scene. I wanted it to be known that Ruby didn't save Weiss, but rather helped her save herself. She couldn't do anything major until Weiss decided to save herself and accept the help.

I hope you enjoyed it!

Please review!


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